Brodeur used a hybrid style of goaltending by standing up more than butterfly style goalies, though he adapted to more modern techniques at the latter stage of his career.[8][9][10] He was known for his puck handling, his positional play, and his reflexes, especially with his glove hand.[9] Brodeur's prowess at puck handling was so well-known that it led in part to the NHL changing its rules regarding where goalies were allowed to handle the puck outside of the goal crease like a sweeper-defenseman, adding what is known as "The Brodeur Rule".[11] He announced his retirement in the middle of the 2014-15 season after a brief stint with the Blues, having played in seven games with the team.[12]

Early life

Martin Brodeur was born on May 6, 1972, in Montreal.[13] He was one of five children of Denis and Mireille Brodeur.[14] Denis played in the 1956 Olympics for Team Canada and won a bronze medal.[15][16] After his playing career, Denis was a longtime photographer for the Montreal Canadiens. For more than 20 years, he attended all Montreal games and practices, and when Martin was old enough, he came along. Brodeur idolized Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy.[17]

Brodeur started playing hockey as a forward. His goaltending career began when his coach asked him if he wanted to play as a backup at the position in a youth tournament. Brodeur explained:[18]

The next season my coach came up to me and said, 'Do you want to be a goalie or forward this year?' It was the biggest decision of my life, and I was seven years old. I don't know why I decided, but I thought it would be fun to play goal.

When he was 12 years old, Brodeur briefly intended to stop playing hockey, after he had been removed from his team's lineup for not showing up at a game. Following a conversation with his brother Claude, though, he decided to continue playing.[19] When receiving goaltending instructions in his teens, Brodeur was taught a variety of different styles, ranging from butterfly to stand-up, and paid attention to the technique of others playing the position. He attended a camp run by retired Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak, who encouraged the use of multiple methods; Brodeur believes that the concept made him "a student of the game."[20] In the 1989-90 season, he made it to the Quebec Major Junior League. While playing with the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser, Brodeur made the QMJHL All-Rookie team in 1989-90 and the QMJHL 2nd All-Star Team in 1991-92.[21] Brodeur was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the first round (20th overall) in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.[21]

In the 1994-95 NHL season, which was shortened to 48 games due to an extended lockout, the Devils finished tied for 9th overall, 5th in their conference.[26][27] With the leadership of Brodeur, they defeated the Boston Bruins in the 1st round, shutting them out in three of their four wins.[26] In the second round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Brodeur gave up only nine goals and helped the Devils defeat the Penguins in five games. In the third round, the Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in six games,[28] giving them their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history,[29] against the heavily favoured Detroit Red Wings. The strong play of Brodeur and the Devils' "trap" method of defence made the series lopsided in favour of New Jersey, who swept the Red Wings 4 games to 0 while holding them to just seven goals in four games.[30][31] Brodeur won a Stanley Cup in only his second full season in the NHL.[32] After the victory, he was quoted as saying:[7]

In the last game against Detroit, the time from ten minutes left to one minute left was probably the longest nine minutes of my life. But from one to zero was probably the greatest time I've ever had. I didn't want the clock to run out. It was such a great feeling: people crying in the stands, people jumping up and down, people cheering. Guys couldn't even sit up on the bench. It was probably the best minute of my life.

1995-99

After a year of success, the Devils were in the middle of the pack for most of the 1995-96 season and barely missed the playoffs. Brodeur played in 74 of his team's 82 games, setting a single-season record for most minutes played by a goalie, while having the 2nd-most shutouts (6) in the league. He was named the starter in the All-Star Game for the Eastern Conference and stopped all 12 shots he faced.[7] He finished fourth in voting for the Vezina Trophy,[33] which is awarded to the league's top goaltender.[34] Brodeur also played on Team Canada during the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, where Canada lost to the United States in the gold medal finals.[35]

In the 1996-97 season, the Devils finished 3rd in the NHL. Brodeur was runner-up for the Vezina Trophy, was named to the All-Star team, and had the lowest goals against average by a goalie in almost 30 years, earning him the Jennings Trophy. He also had 10 shutouts and a .927 save percentage. On April 17, 1997, in the first game of a first-round playoff matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, Brodeur fired the puck the length of the ice and into the Canadiens' empty net to ensure a 5-2 victory. It was only the second time in NHL history that a goaltender had scored in the playoffs, and the fifth time overall.[36] The Devils went on to win that series, but lost in the second round to the rival New York Rangers.[37][38]

The following year, Brodeur had 43 wins and 10 shutouts in the regular season. The Devils finished first in the Eastern Conference,[39] but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the eighth-seeded Ottawa Senators.[40] Once again, Brodeur made the All-Star Team, finished as a runner-up for the Vezina Trophy, and won the Jennings Trophy.[41]

In the 1998-99 season, the Devils finished first in the Eastern Conference for the third straight year, with Brodeur winning 39 games. He was among the contenders for the Vezina Trophy and started in the All-Star game, making his fourth appearance. However, the Devils lost in the first round to the Penguins. It was Brodeur's worst playoff performance to date statistically, as he allowed 20 goals in seven games with an .856 save percentage.[12]

1999-2004

During the 1999-2000 season, on February 15, 2000, Brodeur was credited with his second career goal, as Brodeur was the last Devils player on the ice to touch the puck before Daymond Langkow of the Flyers accidentally put the puck into his own empty net during a delayed penalty call against the Devils.[42] Brodeur had previously stopped an attempted Flyers shot.[43]

That season, Brodeur won 43 games for the second time in his career, and the Devils finished with the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference after losing the division to the Flyers by two points.[44] Brodeur helped the Devils sweep the Florida Panthers in the first round, giving up only six goals in four games. In the next round against the Toronto Maple Leafs he recorded two shutouts, including one in the final game of the series as the Devils went on to win four games to two, setting up a showdown with rival Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Flyers took a 3-1 series lead and had home ice to close out the series, but Brodeur gave up only one goal in each of the remaining three games of the series, propelling the Devils to a comeback series victory in 7 games. They went on to play the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Final, who had a higher seed but fewer regular season points, giving the Devils home ice advantage in the series. After taking game one with a 7-goal rally against Dallas, the Devils were led by Brodeur the rest of the way as he gave up only six goals in the next five games, giving the team their second Stanley Cup Championship in six years.[45]

The next year, Brodeur topped the 40-win mark for the third time in his career, despite having an average GAA and save-percentage throughout the season. He played in the All-Star Game for the 6th consecutive season, and helped the Devils earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round Brodeur recorded two shutouts against the Carolina Hurricanes and the Devils took the series in six games. After struggling to beat 7th-seeded Toronto in seven games, the Devils defeated the 6th-seeded Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals, where Brodeur added two more shutouts, both on the road. In their second straight Stanley Cup finals appearance, the Devils played a back-and-forth series against the top seeded Colorado Avalanche,[46][47] and lost in seven games.[48]

Brodeur during pre-game warmups in March 2003

In the 2001-02 season, Brodeur finished among the league leaders in wins and GAA.[24] Brodeur continued to lead the league in victories and remained a Vezina and MVP candidate. The next season, in 2002-03, Brodeur won the Vezina Trophy for the first time.[49] He also won the Jennings Trophy again, was a Hart Memorial Trophy finalist for the league's Most Valuable Player, and was named a 1st Team All-Star and started in the All-Star Game. With one of the most impressive playoff performances of his career, Brodeur guided the Devils to their third Stanley Cup victory after seven-game series wins against the top-seeded Ottawa Senators and the 7th-seeded Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He posted 3 shutouts against Anaheim and had a playoff total of 7 overall,[50] breaking the NHL record of 6 that had been set by Dominik Ha?ek the previous year.[51] Despite this, the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP was awarded to Anaheim goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère, who became the first player not on the championship team to be named playoff MVP since Ron Hextall of Philadelphia in 1987.[52] Some hockey writers speculated a New Jersey player did not win because there were multiple candidates, resulting in a split vote among the sportswriters who selected the winner.[53][54] In the 2003-04 season, Brodeur won his second consecutive Vezina Trophy and Jennings Trophy. He was a first Team All-Star,[24] a starter in the NHL All-Star Game,[55] and a finalist for the Hart Trophy again.[56] The Devils lost the Atlantic Division title by 1 point to the Philadelphia Flyers, who thus obtained the third seed and home ice advantage against the sixth-seeded Devils in the first round of the playoffs. This would be too much for Brodeur and the Devils to overcome, as the Flyers went on to defeat them in five games.[57]

The Brodeur Rule

The goaltender trapezoids behind each goal, added by the NHL before the 2005-06 season, were widely viewed as singling out Brodeur for his puck-handling skills.

After the 2004-05 lockout and before the start of the 2005-06 season, the league instituted a new rule preventing goaltenders from playing the puck behind the goal line, except within a trapezoid-shaped zone located behind the net. The trapezoid began at the goal line with angled lines six feet from each goal post and widened to 28 feet at the end boards.[58] Former Flyers general manager Bobby Clarke was one of the leaders in getting the trapezoid implemented. This was viewed by many as singling out Brodeur, who was one of the best at getting behind the net to handle the puck, and has come to be known as the "Brodeur Rule".[11][59]

At the 2009 NHL General Managers' Meeting, it was discussed whether the rule should be eliminated as a solution to the increasing number of injuries on defenseman who were being hit hard by forechecking forwards. The forecheckers were no longer impeded by defencemen holding them up because of the crackdown on interference, which created situations where defencemen were being hit at high speeds. Brodeur believed that revoking the trapezoid could result in more scoring and more exciting games. He explained, "If you give the liberty to the goalies to play the puck, they'll mess up more than they're successful." He also expressed his concern for defencemen, "It's a no-brainer if they want to start to eliminate these huge hits for the defencemen... Whenever my defencemen or somebody was getting a big hit, I felt guilty that I let that guy get hit like that. Now, I've got to sit and watch all the time... You've got to try to find something because so many guys are getting hurt." At the time of his statement, Devils defencemen Paul Martin, Johnny Oduya and Bryce Salvador were all out with injuries.[60]

Ultimately the suggestion was rejected and the rule stayed in place. Former Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke said, "We had originally approved a rule where the goaltenders couldn't handle the puck behind the net at all. The game was turning into a tennis match. You'd dump it in and the goalie would throw it out and now with the soft chip into the corner it turns into a puck battle and a forecheck opportunity, which is what we wanted."[61]

2005-09

After the 2004-05 NHL lockout canceled the 2004-05 season, Brodeur signed a contract extension with the Devils on January 27, 2006, that would pay him $31.2 million over six years. In the 2005-06 season he posted 43 wins, adding onto his NHL records of what were now five 40-win seasons and ten consecutive 30-win seasons.[62] After struggling early in the season, his improved play later on made him a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the third straight year,[63] and helped lead the Devils to a surprising comeback in the last two months of the season that resulted in them winning the Atlantic Division in the final game of the year.[64] In the first round of the playoffs, he won a postseason series against the Rangers for the first time in his career, leading the Devils to a four-game sweep.[65] But a 4-1 series loss to the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated the Devils in the next round.[66]

Brodeur in December 2007

In the 2006-07 season, Brodeur made his ninth NHL All-Star Game appearance in Dallas, Texas, won his third Vezina Trophy and rose on several NHL records lists. On December 8, 2006, he posted a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers for his 462nd career win, moving him into 2nd place on the all-time list ahead of Ed Belfour.[67] Just a few weeks later, on December 26, Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 to record his 85th career shutout, moving him past Glenn Hall for 3rd place on that all-time list and 1st place among all active goalies.[68] On February 1, 2007, Brodeur beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-5 in overtime to take the all-time lead in overtime (non-shootout) wins with 45, passing Roy.[69] The Devils' first 38 wins of the season were all with Brodeur in net, leading him to set a NHL record for most consecutive wins for a team.[70]

Brodeur readies himself for action during a game in 2008.

On April 3, 2007, Brodeur tied the NHL record for most wins in a single season with 47, set by Bernie Parent in 1973-74, in a 2-1 shootout victory against the Ottawa Senators.[71] Two days later, he broke the record with his 48th win in a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, which helped the Devils clinch the Atlantic Division title.[72]

In the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Brodeur started out shaky and the Devils fell behind two games to one.[73] He rebounded, however, to finish the series, and helped the team advance in six games, while passing Grant Fuhr for second place in all-time playoff victories.[73] In the second round against the Ottawa Senators, the Devils were defeated in five games as the Senators scored 15 goals during the series.[74]

In the 2007-08 season, Brodeur became the second goalie in NHL history to reach 500 wins with a victory against the Flyers on November 17, 2007. The only other goalie to achieve the feat is Roy.[75] Brodeur was also named the starting goalie for the Eastern Conference in the 2007-08 NHL All Star Game in Atlanta. However, he was unable to participate because of a family obligation.[76]

Sean Avery attempts to distract Brodeur during game 3 of the first round of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After losing a bitter series against the rival Rangers in the opening round of the 2008 NHL playoffs, Brodeur refused to shake Sean Avery's hand. During game three of the series, in an unusual move, Avery turned to face Brodeur during a 5-on-3 power play, and began waving his hands and stick in front of Brodeur's face in an effort to distract him. The day after this game the NHL announced that it had revised its unsportsmanlike conduct rule, now known as The Sean Avery Rule, effectively outlawing such antics.[77]

Brodeur started wearing a new painted mask design for the 2008-09 NHL season with a stylized "MB30" on the front, replacing the "J" that had been on his mask for nearly his entire NHL career.[78] During a game on November 1, 2008, Brodeur suffered a "bruised elbow" which would later be diagnosed as a torn distal biceps tendon, the first major injury in his career. Following surgery on November 6, he would miss 16 weeks of the season before playing his next game on February 26, 2009. Upon returning from the injury, Brodeur registered a 4-0 shutout against the Colorado Avalanche for his 99th career shutout.[79] Three days later, he recorded his 100th career shutout against the Philadelphia Flyers, three short of Terry Sawchuk's NHL record.[80]

2009-14

Beginning in 2009, Brodeur broke a number of career records for goaltenders. He missed 50 games in the 2008-09 season, but a winning streak upon his return pushed him near the NHL's all-time win record.[81] On March 14, 2009, the Devils defeated the Canadiens 3-1 to give him the 551st win of his career, tying him with Roy for the NHL record.[82] Three days later, Brodeur surpassed Roy with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in New Jersey.[81]

Brodeur topped another of Roy's previous marks on November 27, as he set the record for the most minutes played in the NHL, which had been 60,235.[83] His 1,030th career appearance, which happened on December 18, broke Roy's record of 1,029.[84] He also set the mark for the most regular-season shutouts with a 4-0 win against the Penguins on December 21, breaking Sawchuk's record of 103.[85] On December 30, 2009, Brodeur and the Devils shut out the Penguins, 2-0. It was his 105th career shutout, giving him the all-time professional record, surpassing George Hainsworth's total of 104 combined in the NHL (94) and Western Canada Hockey League (10).[86][87] On April 6, 2010, Brodeur reached his 600th career win by defeating the Thrashers 3-0. This was also his 110th career shutout.[88]

Brodeur playing in November 2011

In the 2009-10 NHL season, Brodeur led the NHL in wins (45), shutouts (9), games played (77) and minutes played (4,499). He also won his fifth Jennings Trophy and had the third-best GAA in the league, leading his team to back-to-back division wins that included a 6-0 regular-season sweep of the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins. However, the Devils lost in the first round of the playoffs, losing to the seventh-seeded Flyers in five games. Brodeur had a 5-18-1 stretch to begin the 2010-11 season,[89] as New Jersey slumped to the bottom of the NHL.[90] Although the Devils improved in the second half of the season, they did not reach the playoffs;[91] Brodeur recorded 23 wins and a 2.45 GAA,[24] but had his lowest save percentage (.903) in 16 seasons.[91]

The Devils returned to the playoffs in the 2011-12 NHL season, as Brodeur recorded his 14th 30-win season. In Game 1 of the conference quarterfinals against the Panthers, Brodeur became only the second goaltender to record 100 playoff wins in a 3-2 Devils victory. In Game 4 with a 4-0 victory, Brodeur broke the NHL career playoff shutout record with his 24th, surpassing Roy, who had 23.[92] The Devils advanced by winning Game 7 in double overtime, after Brodeur had made 43 saves to keep his team in the contest.[93]

Following a second round series win over the Flyers, Brodeur and the Devils defeated the Rangers four games to two in the Eastern Conference finals.[93] New Jersey won the sixth game 3-2 on an overtime goal by Adam Henrique, leading to Brodeur's fifth Stanley Cup Finals appearance.[94] The Devils lost in the Finals to the Los Angeles Kings in six games. Brodeur was 14-10 in the postseason with a save percentage of .917, after winning 16 playoff games in the previous eight years.[93]

During the off-season of 2012, Brodeur hired agent Pat Brisson, leading many analysts to believe he would test free-agency or retire. However, on July 2, 2012, Brodeur agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to remain with the Devils, alongside backup goalie Johan Hedberg.[95] On March 21, 2013, in his first game back from a month-long absence due to a pinched nerve injury in his upper back, Brodeur was credited with a power play goal against the Carolina Hurricanes,[96] making him the only NHL goalie to record three career goals,[97] and the first goalie to score on the power play since Evgeni Nabokov in 2002.[96] Brodeur had a 13-9-7 record in his 29 appearance in 2012-13, with a 2.22 GAA.[24] The following season, he shared the Devils' starting goalie position with Cory Schneider, whose 45 games played were six more than Brodeur's total.[98] Brodeur's statistical performance declined, as his GAA increased to 2.51, more than half a goal higher than Schneider. In 39 games played, Brodeur had a .901 save percentage, lower than the league average.[99] Among his 19 wins in 2013-14 was a victory in the season finale against Boston, his 688th for New Jersey.[98] On June 6, 2014, Brodeur told ESPN he would test the free agency market for the 2014-15 season,[99] and his 21-year tenure with the Devils ended.[100]

St. Louis Blues

On November 26, 2014 Brodeur signed a tryout contract with the St. Louis Blues after their starting netminder, Brian Elliott, was injured.[101] A week later, on December 2, Brodeur signed a one-year, $700,000 deal with the Blues.[102]

On January 27, 2015, it was reported that Brodeur had decided to retire from the NHL.[19] The decision followed Elliott's return to the Blues, as Brodeur had been demoted to the team's number three goalie behind Elliott and Jake Allen. Brodeur announced the news at a press conference two days later.[103] He retired having started just five games with the Blues, going 3-3-0 in seven appearances.[24] His final NHL win was a 3-0 shutout against the Avalanche on December 29, 2014.[103]

Post-NHL career

Upon announcing his retirement, Brodeur was hired by the Blues as a special assistant to GM Doug Armstrong.[103] On May 22, 2015, Armstrong announced that Brodeur and the Blues had agreed to a three-year contract naming Brodeur as an assistant general manager of the team.[104]

On February 8, 2016, the New Jersey Devils unveiled a bronze statue of Brodeur which will be displayed outside the Prudential Center. The statue was formally dedicated on October 22, 2016 in a ceremony before the game against the Minnesota Wild.[105] The following evening, February 9, 2016, Brodeur's No. 30 jersey was retired by the Devils.[106][107]

International play

Brodeur was selected as Team Canada's back-up goalie to Roy for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, but did not get to play. Canada failed to win a medal after losing the bronze-medal match to Finland, a game in which many people thought Brodeur should have played.[109]

In the 2002 Olympics at Salt Lake City, Utah, Brodeur was initially named the backup behind Curtis Joseph. But following Joseph's losing the tournament opener against Sweden, Brodeur was named the starting goaltender the rest of the way, and won gold for Canada.[110][111] He went undefeated in the tournament, stopping 31 of 33 shots in the gold-medal victory over Team USA.[112]

Brodeur then led Team Canada to a World Cup of Hockey championship in 2004, allowing only 5 goals in five games. He led all goalies in GAA and save percentage while going undefeated.[113] He had another impressive performance for the team at the world hockey championships in the following year. After this, The Sports Forecaster 2005-06 said the following:[7]

Brodeur is arguably the top goaltender in the world. Fresh off a World Cup win in 2004 and another strong performance at the 2005 IIHF World hockey championships. He's the game's best puck-handling goaltender, though the NHL's new rules changes may somewhat alter that effectiveness.

Personal life

Martin Brodeur before a game in Calgary during the 2011-2012 season

Brodeur married Melanie Dubois (a native of Saint-Liboire, Quebec) in August 1995 and has four children:[16] Anthony, born in 1995; twin sons, William and Jeremy, born in 1996; and Annabelle Antoinette, born in 2002. Melanie filed for divorce during the 2003 playoffs amid reports that Brodeur was having an affair with Genevieve Nault, the wife of Melanie's brother.[117] The incident was referred to by opposing fans during the playoffs.[118] The reports proved to be true, as he and Genevieve married in June 2008.[119] Their first child together, Maxime Philippe Brodeur, was born in November 2009.[120]

Brodeur is regarded as an engaging raconteur in his spare time.[16] He has hosted a street hockey tournament in his hometown of St. Leonard, Quebec, for each of the Devils' Stanley Cup championships, where he played as a forward. His oldest brother, Denis Jr., is a photographer like their father, and his other older brother, Claude, was a minor league baseball pitcher in the Montreal Expos' organization. He has two sisters, Line and Sylvie.[16]

In 2005, Brodeur began co-authoring his autobiography, Brodeur: Beyond the Crease, with long-time Toronto Star columnist and ESPN contributor Damien Cox, which was released in October 2006. Some of the things Brodeur talks about in the book are player salaries and contracts, NHL marketing, Lou Lamoriello, and the Devils' new arena in Newark, the Prudential Center. Brodeur also includes his views on the "new NHL" after the lockout, and how it affected his career.[121]

Brodeur co-owns a business called La Pizzeria Etc. with former teammate Sheldon Souray. The idea came about after Souray was traded to play in Montreal, the city in which the business now operates.[122]

Fans picked Brodeur to appear on the cover of the video game NHL 14, choosing him in a series of votes that included 60 players. He was the first goalie in 17 years to have his image on the cover.[125]

Legacy

During his NHL career, Brodeur set numerous league records. He ended his career with 691 wins, 140 more than Roy, who is second on the NHL's all-time list.[126] Brodeur extended his record shutout total to 125, 22 more than second-place Sawchuk.[127] After his final season, he had played in 1,266 regular season games, a total more than 200 above that of any other goalie.[128] In nine seasons, Brodeur was the NHL wins leader, and in five other seasons he was among the top five goalies in the category.[129] Brodeur's honors include three Vezina Trophy wins as the top goalie in the NHL, and the 1993-94 Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.[130] His total of five Jennings Trophies is tied for the most in NHL history, matching Roy's record.[131] In postseason play, he had the most shutouts of any NHL goalie (24), and his 113 playoff wins ranks second all-time.[132]

Sportswriters and players have called Brodeur one of the greatest goalies in NHL history.[19][130][133]USA Today's Kevin Allen placed Brodeur in a group including Roy and Sawchuk as the leading NHL goalie, noting that Brodeur had the advantage in wins.[19] Writer Steve Politi noted Brodeur's longevity as an advantage on other top all-time goalies such as Roy; Brodeur played 70 or more games in 12 seasons, compared to 0 for Roy.[133]Sportsnet's Chris Boyle, after running a statistical analysis, placed Brodeur eighth in his all-time goaltending list; he offered the rationale that Brodeur's teammates helped him achieve his major records, while goalies such as Roy and Ha?ek had superior stats in their best seasons.[134]

Brodeur is remembered for his playing style: writer Katie Strang called him "one of the most innovative [goalies] ever to play the game", due to his "superior puck-handling skills".[135]Scott Gomez, a former teammate of Brodeur in New Jersey, considered his goalie to be the equivalent of an extra defenceman. The Brodeur Rule, which his play helped inspire the league to institute starting in the 2005-06 season, remains in place.[130] His playing style proved uncommon among goalies of his era, as most of his competitors used a butterfly style exclusively.[10] Brodeur is considered a likely candidate for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame once he becomes eligible to appear on the ballot.[130]

Martin Brodeur is a giant in the world of hockey. He is the number-one goalie in the game today, and one of the greatest goaltenders of the modern age. He has been netminder for the New Jersey Devils for 13 years, leading them to three Stanley Cup victories and winning numerous individual awards in the process, including two Vezina trophies. A three-time Olympian for Canada, Brodeur was part of the gold-medal winning team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He was in goal when Team Canada captured the 2004 World Cup and has been a part of every major Canadian team since he broke into the NHL in 1992. He is rated as the fourth most popular and recognizable hockey player of all time (after Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Mario Lemieux).

In Brodeur: Beyond the Crease, the game's best netminder takes a candid, personal look at his career, his sport, the business of hockey, the evolution of the sport, and his journey to the apex of the modern game. It is one man's detailed, unique view of the kaleidoscope of intrigue and competitive chaos that defines today's NHL, a rare opportunity to understand the sport through the eyes of one of the game's most insightful athletes at the height of his abilities.

Brodeur: Beyond the Crease traces Brodeur's career, revealing how he became the best, from minor hockey through junior to the NHL and Team Canada. It examines his rich national and personal hockey heritage, and the pivotal role his father and others played in his career, as well as his thoughts and insights on: being part of the effort that turned the New Jersey Devils around from being what Wayne Gretzky called "a Mickey Mouse organization" into one of the game's most powerful and successful franchises; being in the crease in 2002 when Canada ended a 50-year gold medal drought at the Olympics; being a Canadian and a Quebecer playing and living in the US; life as a husband and father of four, his love of motorcycles, and the lifestyle of the modern athlete; pursuing greatness and sporting records; the best goalies heâs ever seen and the best NHL shooters; how he prepares for game day; what it's like to be the wealthiest man ever to play his position, and what it was like to watch $8 million in salary fly out the window during the NHL lockout of 2004-2005.

In association with award-winning sports journalist Damien Cox, the top goalie in the game takes us inside the game and beyond, to reveal the man behind the mask.

Perseverance, courage, and the personal will to succeed are the qualities that bind the athletes profiled in this new series of authorized sports biographies for children. The athletes come to life in a plentiful assortment of action, portrait, and full-color photos that take them from childhood to the playing fields and arenas of their greatest accomplishments. Includes timeline, career stats, glossary, and an index.

If Martin Brodeur isn't the greatest goalie who ever played in the NHL, then who is? He has won three Stanley Cups, played every game of his career for the same team, and is certain to break the three most important records a goalie can possess â most career shutouts, most wins, and most games played. Martin Brodeur is unbeatable and without question stating that he is the best that the game has ever seen would be impossible to argue. Brodeur's rise to the top of the NHL was swift. His dominance was enduring, and his level of play year after year has been without equal. The Unbeatable Martin Brodeur chronicles his career from his early childhood playing amateur hockey in Montreal to his NHL debut in New Jersey, his Stanley Cup performances and his Olympic glory. From his first shutout along his record-breaking route through the first 15 years of his extraordinary life in hockey, The Unbeatable Martin Brodeur is an exciting and informative look at one of the most admired players to ever lace up skates.

Borje Salming. lt's a name that conjures up many images to the fans of Canada's favorite game-the nervous first introduction of two unknown Swedish players, Salming and lnge Hammarstrom, to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the early seventies; the baiting and roughing in the NHL of a "European-style" player who emphasized skill over brute force but who wasn't afraid to mix it up with anyone on the ice; the graceful and daring shot-blocking by a big defenceman that made fans roar with delight; the chiseled features of a seemingly shy Swede who hated media interviews because he felt handicapped by his poor English; a player who survived the rigors of seventeen years of professional hockey only to retire to his homeland to continue playing for an elite Swedish team. Blood, Sweat and Hockey is the real story of the man behind those images. Told in a disarmingly frank style, it is the story of a survivor who truly loves the game. Salming tells of growing up in a tiny Swedish town with the same dream as many a boy in Canada would share, to play hockey professionally. He tells of the high standards imposed by his strict but loving brother, Stig, after their father died; of how his remarkable stature-eventually he would be 6'6" and weigh over 210 pounds- complemented his natural playing ability and allowed him a rough and tumble style of hockey that would stand him in good stead in North America; of how Stig's discipline and training of his little brother helped hone the boy's natural talents into the survival skills needed to sustain a 17-year NHL career. Salming writes about his triumphs and losses, his friends and foes on the North American and international hockey scene, and of his love of the fast- paced sport.